The MAGA world is increasingly split over its feelings toward Israel. On one hand, you have many evangelical leaders who love Israel because they see its existence as a critical component of the second coming of Christ. On the other hand, you have influential voices on the right, like Tucker Carlson, decrying Christian Zionism as “a brain virus” and “dangerous heresy.”

But there’s one thing everyone can agree upon. Anything LGBTQ+ is really bad.

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Last week, the government of Israel’s social media account promoted an event called Pride Land, “the biggest LGBTQ+ festival ever in the Middle East.” As might be expected, the right flipped out.

“Wickedness like this is why Christians take issue with any thought of standing shoulder with & celebrating the modern state of Israel,” pastor Tom Ascol posted on X. (Ascol, who delivered the invocation at Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis‘ (R) second inauguration, had defended the Uganda law calling for the death penalty for gay people.)

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Other infuriated right-wing Christians piled on. The Israeli government was already getting slammed by evangelicals for an image of an Israeli soldier in Lebanon desecrating a crucifix in the front yard of a family that had been forced to flee their home. (The government said that the soldier would be punished for his actions.)

As it turns out, the event, which is billed as “four days of nonstop celebration of community and connection,” is taking place at a spot on the Dead Sea traditionally associated with the site of Sodom and Gomorrah, fueling the right’s outrage and providing a handy comparison.

“Was there a Pride parade in the Sodom & Gomorah part of the Holy Land?” read one post. “Israeli gov’t desecrates Holy Land with massive LGBT ‘pride’ event,” read another. “From the ruins of Sodom and Gomorrah, we’re reminded once again why Pride is a deadly sin. This is a mockery of God,” was another comment.

In fact, the Israeli government is not responsible for the event, which is separate from Tel Aviv Pride. Tel Aviv Pride is a huge event that was canceled last year out of concern about retaliation from Iran following Israeli military strikes.

That didn’t stop the critics from blaming the Israeli government for even allowing the event, surfacing a simmering split between pro-Zionists and anti-Zionists on the right. “This is why the American soldiers had to die for Israel so they can enjoy the Alphabet parade,” one post complained.

However, Israel had problems with a more secular audience as well. Although Israel has a reputation for being LGBTQ+-friendly, LGBTQ+ critics of Israel’s occupation of Gaza say that doesn’t extend to Palestinians who live there. Opponents of Israel’s policy say that efforts to use LGBTQ rights to promote an image of Israel as a progressive society amount to pinkwashing.

Promoting Pride Land would serve to boost Israel’s flagging tourism economy, which is reeling because of the war with Iran and Gaza. Ironically, prior to the announcement of the Pride Land event, the government had been pinning its hopes for a rebound at least in part on American evangelicals traveling to the Holy Land.

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